Brumby announces Premier Cycling Series

Three of Victoria's premier cycling events will be linked with the help of a $30,000 Bracks Government grant announced today by the Minister for State and Regional Development, John Brumby.

During a visit to Ararat, Brumby said the grant to CycleSport Victoria through the Government's Provincial Victoria Key Regional Events Program would link three cycling races into the one premier event.

"The Ararat, Alpine and Warragul cycling clubs each hold an annual road race over mountainous country, with the climb up Mt Baw Baw claimed to be among the toughest in world cycling," Brumby commented. "CycleSport Victoria and the three clubs will link these three events and promote them as The Provincial Victoria Pinnacle Cycling Series, the first event of its kind in Australia."

The first event in this year's series is the Grampians-Mount William Road Classic on November 11, followed by the Tour of Bright on December 2-3. The series concludes with the Mt Baw Baw Road Classic on 14 April 2007.

"The series will also provide an opportunity for young aspiring athletes to test their skills across mountainous terrain, which is a wonderful training ground for the Tour de France and other world-class events," continued Brumby. Adding that the $30,000 funding would be provided over two years for the $74,000 project, with other contributions from CycleSport Victoria, Baw Baw Shire, and Ararat Rural City Council.